Huge powerful jump

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Overgrown Pony

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Hey guys

Any tips for moving with a horse that has a huge powerful jump that sometimes sends you into orbit? Is it just a matter of jumping him as much as possible to get used to him?

Any tips greatly received :)
 
1kimmy said:
Hey guys

Any tips for moving with a horse that has a huge powerful jump that sometimes sends you into orbit? Is it just a matter of jumping him as much as possible to get used to him?

Any tips greatly received :)
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I too would be interested in the replies to your post.

Whilst at Weston Lawns at the end of October I took part in the 3ft class with a 1.05m jump off having got a placing in the previous class with a double clear. We were cantering towards the last jump in the jump off about to get our second double clear of the day and I remember being on a perfect stride and then my horse took off and I remember falling through the air onto my back.

Apparently I was knocked out for a minute and on the ground for 25! I went off to hospital on a spinal board and had a CT scan and xray - everything ok thank goodness. Was out of it for a good week or but feel fine now and have competed since, although its only dressage.

Apparently the beastie put in a huge jump which took me by suprise. Since he's had his ethanol fusion in his hock joints (done in Feb) he's been very consistent and jumping really well, getting double clears in almost every class he's done. I don't know what the answer is. Dad wants me to give up jumping as he says its too dangerous but I've come too far and given so much to get my confidence to give it all up now. I've gone from jumping 2ft 6 and being scared silly to jumping 3ft 3 without fear at all, and am not prepared to quit now!
 
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There are a few things at play here that need to be worked on. First of all your own balance, core strength and stability and secondly adjusting to the horses jump and stride. No stirrups work is your friend...lots of it!! This will tighten your seat a lot and strengthen up your lower body. Pilates can help a lot with core stability and balance. When riding on the flat do as much no stirrups as you can. When schooling really work on your canter...with a big jumper if you feel a bit loose the natural inclination is to steady them and shorten the canter....this will only make the jump more exaggerated and uncomfortable for you. The American equitation system I think gives a lovely grounding of position to ride big jumpers. Look at the likes of Meredith Michaels Beerbaum, Reed Kessler. Laura Kraut etc all relatively small women who ride big jumpers and the one thing they all have similar in their ridin is rock solid core and lower body stability
 
Cheers Amage

My core stability definitely won't be what it was as i've not long had a baby :)

I'll brave it and take my stirrups away little and often and work up to as much as possible. It'll be hard at first as my horse is a 17.3hh big moving WB.

Cheers for your reply
 
all that amage has said, 100%. i think you need a proper forward seat on a seriously big jumper, if you try the defensive seat you get all that power up your backside and can easily get fired off. i have pics somewhere of my huge warmblood (Eugano lines) who had a phenomenal jump (too good for an eventer really) and I had to stay VERY forward on him... and he never jumped me off, although he nearly managed to a few times...! saddle is also important, you need something that lets you ride with short stirrups etc, forward cut enough.
as far as exercises etc, i'd be doing grids and perfect related distances so you don't get a surprise, until you're both really confident again.
 
Cheers for the reply Kerilli

When you say to stay very forward what do you mean exactly? A light forward seat coming into the fence and over? I don't need to ride in a defensive seat as he's never once refused since I got him.
 
Not got much 2 add but just an observation from a few friends with big jumping horses!
If u use the sprenger stirrups (or similar) try jumping with ordinary 1s. Friends hav found that cos stirrups flex & move etc that they get bounced about in saddle when horses were being a touch extravagant!
 
I found big blocks in the saddle help. It just keeps your lower leg a little bit more secure. I tend *touch wood* to be able to sit to my boys huge jump but I couldn't tell you what I do! My sister can't and has landed on the deck a few times but she has a weaker lower leg and has been much better since we put bigger blocks in.
 
badgermyers said:
I have only been jumped off once ever! I think being forward and not behind the movement plays a big part! I also find shorts stirrups helps
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Yes, this, exactly. More like a showjumper, less like an eventer! Forward in midair over the shoulder, so if horse really uses his back and maybe flicks back end high, you don't get shoved by all that power, you are forward out of the way of it. If you Google Image Laura Kraut you'll see what I mean.
I had to do this while eventing my wb, have a v funny pic of me 1/2 way up his neck like a monkey on a stick at a triple-brush skinny because I KNEW he'd jump me off if he used his back at it, and he was very suspicious of it!
 
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